U.S. Republicans set Monday vote on Kavanaugh if no deal for hearing

[rooster59]

U.S. Republicans set Monday vote on Kavanaugh if no deal for hearing

By Doina Chiacu and Richard Cowan

 

U.S. Supreme Court nominee judge Brett Kavanaugh testifies during his Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., September 5, 2018. REUTERS/Chris Wattie/Files

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Republicans threatened to go ahead with a Senate panel vote on President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh on Monday unless a deal could be reached on Friday on how and when a woman accusing him of sexual assault will testify.

 

The Senate Judiciary Committee had delayed a vote on Kavanaugh's confirmation after California professor Christine Blasey Ford's allegations emerged last week, and her lawyers and committee staff were negotiating the conditions of her testimony.

 

But the committee's chairman, Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, said the panel would hold a vote on Kavanaugh's confirmation on Monday unless a deal was reached with Ford's lawyers by 10 p.m. EDT on Friday (0200 GMT Saturday).

 

"I’m extending the deadline for response yet again to 10 o'clock this evening. I’m providing a notice of a vote to occur Monday in the event that Dr. Ford's attorneys don't respond or Dr. Ford decides not to testify," Grassley said in a statement.

 

In an email to judiciary committee staff, Ford's lawyer Debra Katz called the deadline arbitrary.

 

"The imposition of aggressive and artificial deadlines regarding the date and conditions of any hearing has created tremendous and unwarranted anxiety and stress on Dr. Ford," Katz wrote.

 

"Your cavalier treatment of a sexual assault survivor who has been doing her best to cooperate with the Committee is completely inappropriate."

 

Earlier on Friday, Trump sought to cast doubt on Ford's allegation that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in 1982 when both were high school students in Maryland.

 

Kavanaugh has denied the allegation and pledged to testify at Monday's hearing.

 

The Republican-controlled Senate judiciary panel has struggled on how to proceed with Kavanaugh's nomination. Democrats have demanded more time for scrutiny, and Republicans want to move ahead quickly with a confirmation vote in an increasingly volatile political climate ahead of the Nov. 6 congressional elections.

 

Approval of Kavanaugh would cement conservative control of the Supreme Court and advance a White House effort to tilt the American judiciary farther right.

 

Trump and the White House had been careful not to malign Ford after her allegations surfaced, but Trump dropped the restraint in his tweets on Friday.

 

"I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents," Trump said. "I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!

 

"Judge Brett Kavanaugh is a fine man, with an impeccable reputation, who is under assault by radical left wing politicians who don’t want to know the answers, they just want to destroy and delay," Trump wrote.

 

Senator Susan Collins, a moderate Republican and potentially a key vote on Kavanaugh's nomination, said at an event in Portland, Maine, that she was "appalled" by Trump's tweet.

 

"We know allegations of sexual assault are one of the most unreported crimes that exist," Collins said, according to the Portland Press Herald. "So I thought that the president’s tweet was completely inappropriate and wrong."

 

If the hearing proceeds, Republicans will be forced to walk a careful line in questioning Ford's account without alienating women voters ahead of the elections. Before the 2016 presidential election, more than a dozen women accused Trump of making unwanted advances.

 

"VILE ATTACK"

 

Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand denounced Trump's comments on Friday as a "vile attack."

 

"The most powerful man in the world just used his position and platform to attack a sexual assault survivor," she said on Twitter.

 

"This is the same man who has been credibly accused of more than a dozen cases of sexual assault or harassment."

 

The Senate Judiciary Committee released a letter it sent to Ford's attorneys earlier on Friday in which it accepted some of their demands, including that Kavanaugh not be in the room when she testifies.

 

The panel rejected some of the other demands, including that Kavanaugh testify first, that the committee call additional witnesses that Ford requests, and that only senators be allowed to ask questions.

 

"We reserve the option to have female staff attorneys, who are sensitive to the particulars of Dr. Ford’s allegations and are experienced investigators, question both witnesses," the letter said.

 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, speaking at a gathering of evangelical voters in Washington, assured them Kavanaugh would be confirmed.

 

"You watched the fight, you watched the tactics, but here is what I want to tell you - in the very near future, Judge Kavanaugh will be on the United States Supreme Court," McConnell told the Value Voters Summit, drawing a standing ovation."

 

McConnell's goal has been to confirm Kavanaugh by Oct. 1, the start of the Supreme Court term.

 

Trump's Friday tweets contrasted with comments earlier in the week when he said Ford should be heard, even if it meant a delay in the confirmation process.

 

A person familiar with the call between Ford's lawyers and judiciary panel staff on Thursday said Ford could testify by next Thursday.

Ford's legal team has said she strongly prefers that her allegations are fully investigated before she testifies.

 

The Senate panel must approve Kavanaugh's confirmation before a vote by the full Senate, where Republicans hold a 51-49 majority. Kavanaugh's confirmation to the lifetime position would be the second of the Trump administration and solidify conservative control of the nation's top court.

 

Ford's team has sought guarantees of her safety because of death threats. Kavanaugh and his wife also had received threats, a senior White House official said.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-09-22

 

[OneMoreFarang]

So all these republican senators don't want to hear the truth about a guy who is on the way to become a judge in the highest court of their country.

I think that is even worse than supporting a maniac president.

 

I hope nobody will ever claim again the US democracy is the world leading example democracy.

They are a bunch of greedy power-hungry a$$holes - and the US voters elected them all...

 

[Becker]

11 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

So all these republican senators don't want to hear the truth about a guy who is on the way to become a judge in the highest court of their country.

I think that is even worse than supporting a maniac president.

 

I hope nobody will ever claim again the US democracy is the world leading example democracy.

They are a bunch of greedy power-hungry a$$holes - and the US voters elected them all...

 

I agree. The only ray of hope is the fact that more people voted for sanity than insanity. The GOP will in a not too distant future have been relegated to history's scrap heap due to both shifting demographics (no amount of voter district gerrymandering can change that) and the fact that they sold their soul for a few more years of power.

'nuff said.

[OneMoreFarang]

11 minutes ago, Becker said:

27 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

So all these republican senators don't want to hear the truth about a guy who is on the way to become a judge in the highest court of their country.

I think that is even worse than supporting a maniac president.

 

I hope nobody will ever claim again the US democracy is the world leading example democracy.

They are a bunch of greedy power-hungry a$$holes - and the US voters elected them all...

 

I agree. The only ray of hope is the fact that more people voted for sanity than insanity. The GOP will in a not too distant future have been relegated to history's scrap heap due to both shifting demographics (no amount of voter district gerrymandering can change that) and the fact that they sold their soul for a few more years of power.

'nuff said.

I am not sure if voting for Hillary and sanity should be mentioned in the same sentence.

Obviously she was the smaller evil but far away from what a president (male or female) should be.

The GOP is very bad. But unfortunately the Dems over there are maybe better and not too much better.

One big problem is obviously it's all about money. The election of every single politician cost a fortune. And one they are elected it's about even more money.

USA, the best democracy money can buy.

[MikeChm]

Dem. rats, hired by foreigners, are using a crunch liar to disrupt the process. Diane Feinstein, a spy working for China, is a disgrace. They got caught red handed when they paid cash to liberal protesters in the nomination process.

[guest879]

36 year old claim of sexual misconduct.  seems strange to wait till now. #metoo is getting out of hand. 

[OneMoreFarang]

18 minutes ago, guest879 said:

36 year old claim of sexual misconduct.  seems strange to wait till now. #metoo is getting out of hand. 

No, not in this case.

It seems lots of MeToo accusers want to be in the limelight - at least once in their life. With many of them I never heard of any evidence. It seems they didn't "remember" it for decades and then one day, just now, they remember all the details. Strange.

 

But Mrs Ford mentioned that years ago to her psychologist and there are records of that. She didn't want to go public, she does not want to be in the limelight. It's well described in the Washington Post.

And 30 years ago she didn't want to tell anybody, especially not her parents. I think it's not too difficult to understand that she just wanted to forget it at that time.

But I imagine at some stage she just couldn't accept that Kavanaugh pretended nothing ever happened. This guy wants to be judge in the highest court. We can and should expect from him to tell the truth, the whole truth, 100% of the time. And we can expect from him to be ready to be scrutinized.

Let's hear what he and she have to say.

[toolpush]

7 hours ago, Becker said:

I agree. The only ray of hope is the fact that more people voted for sanity than insanity. The GOP will in a not too distant future have been relegated to history's scrap heap due to both shifting demographics (no amount of voter district gerrymandering can change that) and the fact that they sold their soul for a few more years of power.

'nuff said.

So, you prefer the loony lefty unicorn chasers otherwise known as the Democrats?

[Becker]

27 minutes ago, toolpush said:

So, you prefer the loony lefty unicorn chasers otherwise known as the Democrats?

You're extremely perceptive, a regular Sherlock Holmes!

[sirineou]

2 hours ago, guest879 said:

36 year old claim of sexual misconduct.  seems strange to wait till now. #metoo is getting out of hand. 

 Last I heard this is the first time Kavanaugh is nominated for a lifetime position in the country's highest court.

  unti now this was a private  issue she attempted to deal with privately with the help of a mental health professional.  I am sure if he was nominated earlier she would  informed as about it earlier.

    It is only logical ,But I guess Supporting Trump and logic are diametrically opposed concepts.

Edited September 22, 2018 by sirineou

[Tug]

She was a 15 year old kid at the time what is wrong with you guys?kids don’t talk to adults at that age I applaud her courage to stand up to trump and the rest of his crew!

[MikeChm]

Kavanaugh protesters got videotaped while receiving cash 

[MikeChm]

The acuser deleted her social network accounts before she published this story. Why? She has something to hide.

Ford is a active demo rat by herself. Even the Chinese spy Diane Feinstien claimed she is unsure of the truthness of her story.

Ford does not dare to appear in a public hearing and to take an oath, because she knows well her story is false. If she testified in public and later got proved untrue, she could be thrown into jail for defamation.

Kavanaugh is presumed innocent. This is a basic principle of rule of law. Ford must give verifiable evidence. This crunch now may find she is on her way to jail.

The infamouse Chinese spy Diane Feinstien may be the 1st one thrown into jail by supreme court for her espionage and treason.

Edited September 22, 2018 by MikeChm

[OneMoreFarang]

58 minutes ago, MikeChm said:

Ford is a active demo rat by herself

Writing something like that says a lot more about you than about her.

Are you also sending death treats to her? Or are your buddies active with that?

[MikeChm]

22 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Writing something like that says a lot more about you than about her.

Are you also sending death treats to her? Or are your buddies active with that?

Rat is afraid of light. Ford does not dare to come out, too. She makes millions of excuses just not to speak in Public. She is a rat. Period

You can ask our famous Chinese spy Diane Feinstein who threatened Ford. She knows everything. But I wonder Diane could dare to speak in public either, for she is a rat by herseld. Good luck. I suggest you not contact Diane, or she could say you forced yourself upon her 80 years ago, and you will be required ti prove otherwise. Or maybe you like to touch a skeleton like her? 

Edited September 22, 2018 by MikeChm

[Becker]

11 hours ago, MikeChm said:

Rat is afraid of light.

So maybe you can post your full name and address here on this forum or are you a....?

But seriously, if you post your personal details someone will make sure you get the help you so obviously need.

[neeray]

15 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

No, not in this case.

It seems lots of MeToo accusers want to be in the limelight - at least once in their life. With many of them I never heard of any evidence. It seems they didn't "remember" it for decades and then one day, just now, they remember all the details. Strange.

 

But Mrs Ford mentioned that years ago to her psychologist and there are records of that. She didn't want to go public, she does not want to be in the limelight. It's well described in the Washington Post.

And 30 years ago she didn't want to tell anybody, especially not her parents. I think it's not too difficult to understand that she just wanted to forget it at that time.

But I imagine at some stage she just couldn't accept that Kavanaugh pretended nothing ever happened. This guy wants to be judge in the highest court. We can and should expect from him to tell the truth, the whole truth, 100% of the time. And we can expect from him to be ready to be scrutinized.

Let's hear what he and she have to say.

He owns that lie no matter what happens next week. It's now part of his legacy. When he passes on, along with anything else that is said about him, he will be remembered by many as the judge who lied, the judge who attempted sexual assault.

Oh yes, and the judge who overturned Roe v Wade.

And the SCOTUS who ruled that the President has the right to pardon himself.

[Chomper Higgot]

16 hours ago, guest879 said:

36 year old claim of sexual misconduct.  seems strange to wait till now. #metoo is getting out of hand. 

Why do you think getting your name on the sexual offenders register is for life?

[Scott]

Off-topic posts and replies removed along with posts with unapproved sources.  

[melvinmelvin]

been reading newspaper reports, from various countries, re this hearing

 

dunno,

but seems to me that BK has completely disqualified himself from SC,

regardless of sexual misbehaviour or not

 

the man is a bit like POTUS,

not well behaved

loses his cool

shouting

demonstrating anger

 

apparently Americans like trash like that in White House

but to fill up SC with trash is not advisable

 

 

[neeray]

2 hours ago, melvinmelvin said:

 

 

apparently Americans like trash like that in White House

but to fill up SC with trash is not advisable

 

 

 

Remember "drain the swamp" ?

In typical Trump fashion, he did the exact opposite and is filling the swamp!

But Kavanaugh's FAKE credentials has just got exposed by associating with the SWAMP KING.

[neeray]

On ‎9‎/‎22‎/‎2018 at 7:05 AM, OneMoreFarang said:

No, not in this case.

It seems lots of MeToo accusers want to be in the limelight - at least once in their life. With many of them I never heard of any evidence. It seems they didn't "remember" it for decades and then one day, just now, they remember all the details. Strange.

 

But Mrs Ford mentioned that years ago to her psychologist and there are records of that. She didn't want to go public, she does not want to be in the limelight. It's well described in the Washington Post.

And 30 years ago she didn't want to tell anybody, especially not her parents. I think it's not too difficult to understand that she just wanted to forget it at that time.

But I imagine at some stage she just couldn't accept that Kavanaugh pretended nothing ever happened. This guy wants to be judge in the highest court. We can and should expect from him to tell the truth, the whole truth, 100% of the time. And we can expect from him to be ready to be scrutinized.

Let's hear what he and she have to say.

Kavanaugh appears to have just lowered the bar. Why now would anybody appearing before him feel compelled to tell the truth? Or is it "do as I say and not as I do" in his books.

Him and Trump make a fine pair!

[sirineou]

38 minutes ago, neeray said:

Kavanaugh appears to have just lowered the bar. Why now would anybody appearing before him feel compelled to tell the truth? Or is it "do as I say and not as I do" in his books.

Him and Trump make a fine pair!

IMO, Unlike most countries that derive their cohesion from a common  ethnic identity ,  USA derives its identity   by trusted institutions that bind many different States, and  ethnic groups in to a common purpose for a better life. These institutions are under attack. The presidency, congress, and the media are at a record low opinion.

  One institution that seems to so far hold the public's trust is the Supreme Court as a refuge of last resort. If Kavenough is confirmed ,I am afraid would go a long way towards  dismantling the trust that the american people have toward the Supreme Court .

What would hold us together then?  Perhaps common greed ? 

Remember the Clinton administration moto. "it's the economy stupid"?  what would happen if the economy goes south? 

What will hold us together.

Will California go out on it's own? will Texas think they will be better off on their own? Perhaps a  TriState federation? (NY, NJ, CT)  How long will progressive states be held back by the Alabamastans?  

Edited September 28, 2018 by sirineou

[stevemac]

So all these republican senators don't want to hear the truth about a guy who is on the way to become a judge in the highest court of their country.
I think that is even worse than supporting a maniac president.
 
I hope nobody will ever claim again the US democracy is the world leading example democracy.
They are a bunch of greedy power-hungry a$$holes - and the US voters elected them all...
 

So if it was that life shattering, why did she not pursue in the ensuing 30+ years. There has to be an agenda here.
Then you get emotive language like "Your cavalier treatment of a sexual assault survivor who has been doing her best to cooperate with the Committee is completely inappropriate." Sexual assault SURVIVOR, let's have a reality check here. If it had been followed up immediately (given the way of the world at the time of the alleged incident) is it likely a charge would have been brought? If so what would it have been.
I would be concerned that what some would call the greatest democracy in the world, allows people to openly and publicly condemn someone with uncorroborated accusations.
This is not just a US problem, there are similar issues in the UK.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, stevemac said:

So if it was that life shattering, why did she not pursue in the ensuing 30+ years. There has to be an agenda here.

Yes, the agenda is that she can't accept that this guy should become judge in the highest court of the country for life.

 

I think it's easy to understand why she didn't go to the police or her parents when it happened.

Who of us would like to go to his/her parent and tell them something like: Mommy, I was at that party you told me I should not go. And I know you told me not to drink but I did drink. And then there was this guy who tried to rape me.

How many of us would have reported that to their parents?

 

What I find most disgusting about this whole process is the fact that most republicans, politicians and their voters, couldn't care less what he did or didn't do. They would happily accept a guy who tried to rape a woman and who lied about it as long as he acts later in the supreme court according to their conservative "values".

 

Anybody who has any values would stop this nomination right away.

Why don't you look for a honest person for that job?

And while you think about that consider the question if a honest president might also be a good idea.

 

All this is not happening about a small court in a small banana republic somewhere. It happens in the most powerful country on this earth which pretend to be the leader in democracy. It's almost impossible to believe this is actually happening.

[jcsmith]

On 9/22/2018 at 5:23 PM, MikeChm said:

Dem. rats, hired by foreigners, are using a crunch liar to disrupt the process. Diane Feinstein, a spy working for China, is a disgrace. They got caught red handed when they paid cash to liberal protesters in the nomination process.

Not one word of this is true.

[jcsmith]

Blasey-Ford's testimony very very much credible. Even GOP senators were admitting so. 

 

Kavanaugh meanwhile came off as a partisan shill. Blaming the Clinton's and using conspiracy theories. That's how a supreme court judge should act? Lindsey Graham continued his freefall over the past year. 

[melvinmelvin]

I'm kinda surprised that BK wants to go ahead without being cleared by an FBI investigation.

 

If he flies today his mandate as SC judge would be extremely weak.

 

This will stick to him forever if not cleared.

 

[billd766]

On 9/22/2018 at 8:08 PM, MikeChm said:

The acuser deleted her social network accounts before she published this story. Why? She has something to hide.

Ford is a active demo rat by herself. Even the Chinese spy Diane Feinstien claimed she is unsure of the truthness of her story.

Ford does not dare to appear in a public hearing and to take an oath, because she knows well her story is false. If she testified in public and later got proved untrue, she could be thrown into jail for defamation.

Kavanaugh is presumed innocent. This is a basic principle of rule of law. Ford must give verifiable evidence. This crunch now may find she is on her way to jail.

The infamouse Chinese spy Diane Feinstien may be the 1st one thrown into jail by supreme court for her espionage and treason.

 

You are obviously a fountain of information and proof about Dr Ford and Diane Feinstein> Have you given all this information to the authorities yet?